IBM invests in EHR providers

IBM is extending its lending arm, IBM Global Financing, to four EHR providers--Siemens Healthcare, Lavender & Wyatt Systems, Healthcare Management Systems and SCC Soft Computer--through new financing agreements.

"Customers of electronic healthcare records solutions soon realize that while health IT technology is necessary, it's also expensive," said Richard Dicks, general manager for North America, IBM Global Financing. "Technology financing helps speed up implementation."

According to IT analyst firm Ovum, more health IT companies will add financing to their go-to-market strategies since it helps customers manage costs and accelerate deployment.

Clinical and revenue cycle management applications from Siemens include Invision, MedSeries4 and Soarian. Lavender & Wyatt Systems is an enterprise software company focused on behavioral health providers. Healthcare Management Systems provides financial and clinical software to regional and community hospitals under 250-bed. SCC Soft Computer provides information management systems for laboratory, genetics, blood services, outreach, pharmacy and radiology.

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